# Korean Skin Care Products - Suggestions or Opinions?



## NaturalRadiance (Oct 17, 2009)

Mod notice: Just a heads up that this is an old thread that was brought back to life.  Some of the information in this thread may still be helpful, but keep in mind that many of the posts and poster opinions may be outdated!


Hello,

I am fairly new to the site and was wondering what everyone's experience is with Korean skin care products. In particular, I referring to face mask sheets, nose strips, etc.

DOES anyone here use stuff like this?

Thanks,

( ^_^ /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />)

NR - Natural Radiance


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## NaturalRadiance (Oct 19, 2009)

No one has any opinons about it at all?!


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## magosienne (Oct 19, 2009)

Sorry, i can only speak for myself, and so far my experience is limited to Laneige's waterbank cream (so far so great).

However, another MuTer in this thread suggest SK-II masks, if that helps


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## NaturalRadiance (Oct 19, 2009)

Seems that there is VERY limited experience with Korean face masks. Is it because they are not available or because people don't like them?


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## magosienne (Oct 19, 2009)

Well, i don't know exactly what sort of asian products you can get in the U.S. (and then i think it also depends on the state, and where you live in that state), but i'm going to guess it's just like in my country, they're not easily available. Most of the people naturally tend to pick up the products they have available at the beauty aisle of their favorite supermarket, we all do it and there's nothing wrong with that.

The few asian beauty products i bought, i got them on sasa, but for each order, there is a fixed shipping fee of $18, plus the fact you have to wait, and the still possible issue of not getting your order because it's lost or held by the customs. So yes, they're not so much known on a western board.

You can always check the reviews on the websites selling them, or try these sites :

Musings of a muse

Joseibi


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## pinksugar (Oct 19, 2009)

Australia has access to a few, but I've really only heard reviews about the BB Creams, not much about the face masks


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## NaturalRadiance (Oct 19, 2009)

These are interesting comments. I wonder if the Korean face mask industry has had much exposure?


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## igor (Oct 19, 2009)

Actually, I was looking for any reviews on Korean cosmetic brands by myself. I`ve just recently ordered their skin 79 diamond balm (dry) sunscreen. Can`t wait to try it!


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## magosienne (Oct 20, 2009)

I think it's also a matter of advertisement, here apart from Shiseido and Shu Uemura (lol, they aren't even korean), the other brands are simply ignored, of the brands i mentioned only their makeup lines are known.

To be completely honest, i did see Kanebo's skincare line at a big store called Le Bon MarchÃ©, but it's very chic and the brand is expensive.


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## NaturalRadiance (Oct 23, 2009)

Thank you everyone for your comments!


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## kimsmith (Oct 26, 2009)

One of my colleague purchased some Korean skin care products. As for my saying goes, I never found any improvement. I have used ayurmedic skin care product for anti- wrinkle treatment and it did work well pretty for me.


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## feu_du_ciel (Oct 28, 2009)

I don't think nose strip is a good thing. I used to use Biore ones and they made my pores larger and with more blackheads, some other girls experience that too.

Recently I've been obsessed with Korean brands such as Missha, Etude House, Skin Food etc, because they're decent and the packaging is too cute, and well priced too! And those brands are very generous. My friend bought me just 2 Missha BB creams in Korea and they gave her A LOT of samples of BB creams, cleanser, moisturizer (I really mean A LOT) and 3 sheet masks





So I've just tried the Missha sheet mask with berry juice twice (I don't remember the name). It smells so nice, sweet as real berry juice. I have only 2 to try so can't really tell the result but it did make my skin a bit softer so I have a feeling that its good ^^

Next time I have friends come back from Korea I'll have to ask them to buy lots of stuff for me





I love reading http://kimoko.livejournal.com and http://www.musingsofamuse.com

They do awesome reviews of Korean brands. HTH


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## NaturalRadiance (Oct 28, 2009)

Originally Posted by *feu_du_ciel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't think nose strip is a good thing. I used to use Biore ones and they made my pores larger and with more blackheads, some other girls experience that too.
Recently I've been obsessed with Korean brands such as Missha, Etude House, Skin Food etc, because they're decent and the packaging is too cute, and well priced too! And those brands are very generous. My friend bought me just 2 Missha BB creams in Korea and they gave her A LOT of samples of BB creams, cleanser, moisturizer (I really mean A LOT) and 3 sheet masks





So I've just tried the Missha sheet mask with berry juice twice (I don't remember the name). It smells so nice, sweet as real berry juice. I have only 2 to try so can't really tell the result but it did make my skin a bit softer so I have a feeling that its good ^^

Next time I have friends come back from Korea I'll have to ask them to buy lots of stuff for me





I love reading http://kimoko.livejournal.com and http://www.musingsofamuse.com

They do awesome reviews of Korean brands. HTH





Wow, this very good information! Thank you!


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## feu_du_ciel (Nov 1, 2009)

Originally Posted by *PrettyFlowers* /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have you tried Sofina and Cle de Peau? Sorry I've never heard of Sofina. Just heard some good things about anti-aging products of Cle de Peau, which is the higher end brand of Shiseido, so its Japanese. I don't think I need those, plus its too pricey for a student like me.


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## Bonsaitea (Nov 8, 2009)

you might want to try a forum specifically for asians. We are after a minority in the west so don't except too much info on Asian products that you have to have shipped from overseas.

But...

I do hear many great things about Laneige masks. I've never bought any face masks before. They're generally pretty cheap so why don't you just go try some out? :]


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## magosienne (Nov 9, 2009)

While searching for reviews i found this store : Beauty Kat. It sounds good, but after seeing the international shipping costs



, i won't order from this website.


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## ~Angela~ (Nov 10, 2009)

I'm Korean but I don't know many products I do like to use Shiseido but they are a Japanese company. Very good though.


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## honeykim (Nov 14, 2009)

I live in Korea and the only Korean product I use a lot are sk II masks. If you haven't tried one you should! I don't use the "cheaper" brands like Laneige, the face shop, missha, etc. But recently my cousin bought some tightening masks from the face shop. I used it once and I actually felt that it really worked.

You can get a good pores and blackheads wash off masks here. But I doubt they are sold overseas.

I think the people who use laneige, the face shop, etc products over here are like high school students.

Not that I have anything against Korean skin brands but I like to use the "better" stuff lol


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## magosienne (Nov 14, 2009)

Lol, to me Laneige is expensive, but that's because Sephora likes to up the prices, and online it's like with asian cosmetics, they like to make us pay more than the real price and sometimes i think it's really too much (do they really think we won't notice?).

Anyway, i have Laneige's waterbank moisturizer, and i love it, but it's either it or my sunscreen, not both. I tried applying one after another and vice versa, and i still get the annoying plush. So i think i'm back to my original wishlist, Shiseido moisturizer, or another from Sana (and i'll order SK-II masks !!).


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## NaturalRadiance (Nov 18, 2009)

Originally Posted by *honeykim* /img/forum/go_quote.gif I live in Korea and the only Korean product I use a lot are sk II masks. If you haven't tried one you should! I don't use the "cheaper" brands like Laneige, the face shop, missha, etc. But recently my cousin bought some tightening masks from the face shop. I used it once and I actually felt that it really worked. You can get a good pores and blackheads wash off masks here. But I doubt they are sold overseas.

I think the people who use laneige, the face shop, etc products over here are like high school students.

Not that I have anything against Korean skin brands but I like to use the "better" stuff lol

To each its own.


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## fihe (Nov 26, 2009)

I don't think I've ever used any Korean skin care products (although I may have borrowed my Korean friend's face wash once that she got from her country) but I'd love to try Laneige's strawberry yogurt mask. I hear it works wonders  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> is there anywhere I can buy it in the United States? maybe in K-town in New York?


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## magosienne (Jan 16, 2010)

So the SK-II masks were out of stock, and i had to order others. My choice went to Shiseido's Aqualabel whitening masks and Catena Eight cups of water hydrating masks. It took me a while to get my order as it was around Christmas.

I tried both recently and OMG !! Products that actually work in 10 minutes ! The eight cups of water mask is very generous in product, and you do feel your skin more hydrated and firmer.

The Aqualabel mask achieves a clearer, firmer complexion. I think for both masks of course the results are more beneficial after a few uses but really i was amazed by their results, and my skin didn't get any allergy reaction. I'm buying more for sure !


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## prettyglowkelly (Dec 25, 2010)

I'm Korean and have tried various Korean brands .... I just feel they're too heavily perfumed for my taste.  But a great brand is "Skin Food" -- they make an amazing Black Sesame Scrub Mask.  It's pretty hard to find in the US but readily available online through Sasa.com, ebay, and yesstyle.com.  Although they do raise the prices quite a bit.


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## honeykim (Dec 25, 2010)

i just wanted to let ppl know. i've recently been using *jung hyun jung parapam diamond* gel masks. omg, they are awesome! much better than other gel masks or sheet masks. they really leave your skin hydrated.  i think you can find them on gmarket, or any korean shopping malls that send overseas  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />


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## magosienne (Dec 25, 2010)

> Originally Posted by *prettyglowkelly* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> I'm Korean and have tried various Korean brands .... I just feel they're too heavily perfumed for my taste.  But a great brand is "Skin Food" -- they make an amazing Black Sesame Scrub Mask.  It's pretty hard to find in the US but readily available online through Sasa.com, ebay, and yesstyle.com.  Although they do raise the prices quite a bit.


Oh i should check out yesstyle, i'm through sasa's shipping costs.


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## Geek (Dec 25, 2010)

Natural Radiance, please sign back up for the member market place if you would like to talk about your products. thank you.


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## EviLeviathan (Dec 26, 2010)

I like the aloe mask sheet from Etude(btw, I'm not advertising or anything, just giving an opinion), but they're not available in US. In Asia of course.

They minimize acne swelling in just one use. But one use isn't enough though..


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## magosienne (Dec 26, 2010)

Thanks for the suggestion, can i ask you if you tried the Shiseido Anessa sunscreens ? I'm confused on which one to get, i want an SPF50/PA+++ but there are several to choose from.


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## EviLeviathan (Dec 26, 2010)

not yet.. Shiseido's products are expensive here.(and I'm still a student XD)


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## magosienne (Dec 27, 2010)

Tell me about it, and add the shipping costs to Europ !


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## jeunsung7 (Mar 2, 2011)

I think SULWHASOO is good.


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## Laced Ivory (Mar 4, 2011)

This may be a little late, but here goes:

My favourite Korean skin care brands are Skinfood, Skin79 (awesome Sweet Honey Sugar Face Scrub) and Laneige (their Waterbank range is the BEST).

xoxo,

Roxanne


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## Maris Crane (Mar 6, 2011)

I absolutely love The Face Shop's Pearl mask sheets &amp; Brightening/Whitening gel masks. I don't know if they're really anything life or skin-changing, but they're really nice for a quick pick me up. I do second the recs for Sul Wha Soo, and Laneige. Laneige - though I'm now using Lancome - has great cleansing oils, and I really like their Hydra-Gel Zen Eye Cream.


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## jillora (Mar 9, 2011)

This thread is making me wistful. I love Skin Food, but can't really justify the cost to import it here to the US. :-(  Great prices, nice smelling and mostly effective products. I loved their facial scrubs. They had gave out a ridiculous amount of samples when buying from the store.  That said, I never noticed that any of the face masks either from them or similar brands were particularly special. Good enough, but my skin was crazy dry the whole time I lived in Korea and the only solution was returning to the States. Aren't there some The Face Shop masks available at Walgreens?


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## Annelle (Mar 10, 2011)

They've started selling them at some Walgreens, but they're still relatively new to the US in general.  I don't think they were available in the US at all in 2009 when this thread was first opened!


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## divadoll (Mar 20, 2011)

The Face Shop stores disappeared from Canada around that time.  They re-opened stores in Canada called CARA.  What I love about the products is how the smell.  They smell relaxing and pampering.


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## divadoll (Sep 14, 2011)

thanks for the link. I've been looking for Face Shop and Skin Food online.


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